Perhaps this is only a fine transition of the poet, to introduce the business of the satire; and not that any such accident had happened to one of the friends of Persius. But, however, this is the most poetical description of any in our author; and since he and Lucan were so great friends, I know not but Lucan might help him in two or three of these verses, which seem to be written in his style; certain it is, that besides this description of a shipwreck, and two lines more, which are at the end of the second satire, our poet has written nothing elegantly. I will, therefore, transcribe both the passages, to justify my opinion. The following are the last verses, saving one, of the second satire: _Compositum jus, fasque animi; sanctosque recessus Mentis, et incoctum generoso pectus honesto._ The others are those in this present satire, which are subjoined: ----_trabe rupta, Bruttia Saxa Prendit amicus inops, remque omnem, surdaque vota Condidit Ionio: jacet ipse in littore; et una Ingentes de puppe Dei: jamque obvia mergis Costa ratis laceræ._---- Note V. _From thy new hope, and from thy growing store, Now lend assistance, and relieve the poor._--P. 270. The Latin is, _Nunc et de cespite vivo, frange aliquid_. Casaubon only opposes the _cespes vivus_, which, word for word, is the living turf, to the harvest, or annual income; I suppose the poet rather means, sell a piece of land already sown, and give the money of it to my friend, who has lost all by shipwreck; that is, do not stay till thou hast reaped, but help him immediately, as his wants require. Note VI. _Nor beg with a blue table on his back._--P. 270. Holyday translates it a green table: the sense is the same; for the table was painted of the sea-colour, which the shipwrecked person carried on his back, expressing his losses, thereby to excite the charity of the spectators. Note VII. _Or without spices lets thy body burn._--P. 270. The bodies of the rich, before they were burnt, were embalmed with spices; or rather spices were put into the urn with the relics of the ashes. Our author here names cinnamum and cassia, which cassia was sophisticated with cherry-gum, and probably enough by the Jews, who adulterate all things which they sell. But whether the ancients were acquainted with the spices of the Molucca Islands, Ceylon, and other parts of the Indies, or whether their pepper and cinnamon, &c. were the same with ours, is another question. As for nutmegs and mace, it is plain that the Latin names for them are modern. Note VIII. _Cæsar salutes the queen and senate thus:-- My arms are on the Rhine victorious._--P. 271.